Bad Obsession
by lianpe
Summary: Alternate universe - all human. Clary's started at her new school, where she's attracted to a popular guy called Jace Herondale. Except - bummer - he's got a girlfriend. Things are gonna get spicy - especially after Clary gets invited to a pool party thrown by Jace's girlfriend. Not your average romance fic. Ratings apply for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

"Have a great day at school, sweetie." Jocelyn waved at Clary from the front seat of her Toyota. "Don't forget to make a lot of new friends!"  
"Yes, Mom." Clary replied, wishing her mother would stop treating her like a six year old. She was fifteen, even though she didn't look it.  
Actually, she was a very nervous fifteen year old, awaiting the first day of school at her new school.  
"It's not that intimidating."  
A tall, skinny, dark-haired boy with old-fashioned glasses smiled down at her.  
"What?" Clary stared at him nervously.  
"I can see you're new," The boy's smile widened, "And pretty nervous. What's your name?"  
"Clary." She paused. "Well, my name's Clarissa, but most people just call me Clary."  
"Clary it is. I'm Simon, by the way." He had a very easy, friendly smile that set her nerves at ease. This was someone she could get along with.  
"Oh!" He jumped suddenly.  
"What?"  
"Nothing, nothing." He was blushing furiously.  
"Doesn't look like nothing." Clary gestured at his face.  
"It's the cool kids." He mumbled, under his breath.  
Clary followed his gaze to a group of kids getting out of a Porsche Cayenne. There was a tall, blond boy and two taller kids - a girl and a boy - with dark hair.  
"Are they siblings?"  
"The Lightwoods are brother and sister, and their parents adopted Jace Herondale."  
Clary nodded. They didn't look particularly remarkable, so she couldn't quite understand why almost every person in the vicinity had stopped what they were doing to look at them.  
"We'd better go." Simon grabbed her shoulder, shepherding her inside the school.  
Clary allowed herself to be tugged away by her new friend, staring into a sea of unfamiliar faces.

"Ms. Fray?"  
Clary's new class teacher, Mr. Starkweather, looked up.  
"I believe we have a new student this term."  
Clary, seated with Simon near the back of the class, flushed as the entire front row turned to stare at her. The blond boy from the morning was there, in the middle row, chomping on a piece of gum, talking to the Lightwoods. He, too, turned to glance at her, but only briefly.  
"Why don't you introduce yourself, Ms. Fray?"  
This was the part Clary dreaded. It was hard enough to speak in front of people you knew, but speaking in front of a crowd of strangers was a whole different kind of ballgame.  
"Uh...I'd rather not."  
"Don't be silly, Ms. Fray - it's a tradition here at the Institute for new students to introduce themselves." Mr. Starkweather gestured for her to come to the front of the class.  
Her heart thumping, Clary obeyed.  
"Umm...my name's Clarissa Fray, but you can call me...Clary. I like, um, drawing and anime. I kinda like drawing anime."  
Her face flaming, Clary ducked her head and hurried back to her seat.  
The blond boy smirked at her as she passed his table, a distinct look of interest in his strangely golden eyes that Clary hoped she'd imagined.  
"That sucked." Clary muttered as she sat down.  
Simon, absent-mindedly doodling on his desk, shook his head. "I thought it was sweet."  
"What?"  
He looked a bit uncomfortable under her gaze. "Well, all the other girls are, you know, self-confident and...they act like they're _it_. You're not like that." He concluded. "That's interesting."  
"It is?" Clary's gaze strayed to the blond's table, where the Lightwood boy gave her a glance of such concentrated hostility that she was momentarily taken aback.  
"It is." Simon replied, tucking his pen back into his pocket. "Mr. Starkweather says we should turn to page 44."  
Clary sighed, her attention switching to geometry.

"Don't touch the pasta."  
It was recess, and Simon was guiding her round the cafeteria.  
"Why?" Clary was genuinely curious.  
He shrugged. "No one eats the pasta. At least, no one eats pasta now after Sebastian Verlac puked in the pot last term."  
"Oh...eww."  
Clary let her gaze drift over the packed cafeteria until she spotted the blond - what was his name? Jake? Jason? Jace? Yes, Jace.  
He sat at a table a little way away from the one Simon was making a beeline for, the Lightwoods and a couple of other kids around him. He was talking to a pretty blonde in a sky-blue jumper, and it wouldn't be too hard an assumption to make that they were a couple.  
"Who's that?"  
"The blonde girl with Herondale?" Simon stared at her over his cheese-and-tuna sandwich. "That's Kaelie. Kaelie Whitewillow. His girlfriend."  
"Oh." Clary felt an unreasonable pang of disappointment.  
"Very couple-y." Simon commented. "You should've seen them last term. Kaelie's father nearly had a fit when Mr. Starkweather complained about his daughter's 'conduct'."  
"Oh." Clary repeated. She couldn't seem to tear her gaze from Jace's table.  
"Hello? Anybody in there?" Simon passed a hand in front of Clary's face. "You're staring at Herondale, you know."  
"No I'm not."  
Simon shrugged, his attention back on his sandwich.  
Clary's eyes found their way back to Jace's table, but this time he looked up and met her gaze.  
Self-conscious, Clary looked away, but not before she saw the other's smile. It wasn't a nasty smile, or 'mean-kids' sort of smile. If anything, it looked sincere.  
"Why's Herondale smiling at you?" Simon had a smudge of cheese on his cheek.  
"I don't know." Clary flushed under his searching gaze.  
"He's coming over here."  
"He is?" Clary squeaked.  
"Hey there." The blond, Jace, flashed a set of pearly-whites in her direction. "You're the new girl, aren't you?"  
"So what if she is?" Simon snapped.  
Jace ignored him. "There's a free seat back at my table - why don't you join us, Clarissa?"  
"Umm...it's Clary." Clary felt like her brain had suddenly turned to mush.  
"Clary, then." Jace's smile never wavered. "Come on and join us. Kaelie's dying to get to know you. Something about your jeans. Girl-talk."  
That brought Clary back down to earth. He was only asking her to join his table because his girlfriend wanted to talk about her jeans.  
Clary glanced down at her jeans. Paint-stained, battered and worn-away at the knees, they were as unimpressive as she was.  
"Umm...I dunno."  
"It's just lunch. You can always blame me later if you don't like the company." Jace flashed her a good-natured grin. "You can even bring your little friend along." He gestured at Simon, who glowered.  
Clary had to agree. She followed Jace over to his table, one hand around Simon's wrist in case he decided to bolt.  
"Here's Clarissa." Jace pushed her to the head of the table, near Kaelie.  
Kaelie smiled prettily, motioning for Clary to sit beside her.  
"So, Clarissa is it?"  
"Clary."  
"Clary." Kaelie's hands immediately went to her hair. "You have such pretty hair, Clary. So fiery."  
"Er...thanks?"  
Kaelie beamed. "Honestly, you're such a pretty little thing. Isn't she, Jace?" She elbowed her boyfriend, who grinned widely. "In fact, I'm having this party at my house tomorrow night, and it'd be amazing if you could come." Seeing Clary's dumbstruck expression, she sought to elaborate her statement. "It's just me and a bunch of my friends - nothing too fancy. Honestly, I was planning this and I thought - what an _amazing _way for Clary to make some new friends."  
Clary blinked at this unexpected show of friendship.  
"Yeah, I guess." She replied. "I guess I could come."  
Kaelie beamed widely, while Jace gave her a sudden worried glance.

"I don't know, Clary." Simon sounded uncomfortable. "She's usually a major bitch."  
"Maybe she's actually a nice person inside."  
"Whatever." Simon adjusted his glasses. "All I'm saying is that she's - she's...sneaky." He finished lamely.  
"Hmm." Clary replied, her attention elsewhere.

"Score!" Isabelle Lightwood grinned at Kaelie. "How naive can one person possibly be?"  
Kaelie smirked. "Hey - I promised you I'd spice my party up."  
"You better hope she doesn't drown in the pool." Alec commented drily.  
"Oh no," Kaelie laughed. "You know I won't plan anything so dull. You guys would never forgive me. Remember what happened last time? Who was she - Sally? Shelly?"  
Sebastian Verlac and Aline Penhallow exchanged knowing glances before dissolving into fits of giggles.  
"I think that's mean, Kaelie." Jace's voice penetrated through the laughs being thrust around the table.  
"Oh, you _think_." His girlfriend scoffed. "You do a lot of _thinking_, Jace. Tell me, does it ever pay off?"  
"It will." He replied softly, looking away.


	2. Chapter 2

"That's lovely, Clary." Jocelyn beamed. "Isn't it, Luke? Clary's made some friends on her first day!" She glanced at her husband - Clary's step-father, Luke.  
"Yeah, it is. Good for you, Clarybear." He sounded warm, but his eyes were worried and his mind suspicious. "Who did you say these people were?"  
"Umm...the Whitewillows. Kaelie invited me." Clary didn't know why she felt defensive, but Luke sounded like he wanted to cross-examine Kaelie, and, as far as Clary knew, she was a perfectly nice girl.

A perfectly nice girl that was sugar-sweet to Clary during Physics the next day - even asking her to sit with her.  
"Isn't this nice?" Kaelie smiled at Clary over her physics textbook. "I get to sit next to the artist. You _are_ an artist, aren't you, Clary? I remember Jace mumbling something about it."  
Clary nodded. She was rather overwhelmed at being friends with Kaelie, who was pretty, popular - basically the perfect girl in a lovely package. And Clary - Clary wasn't.  
"She's more than _just_ an artist." Simon commented, from behind them. "Way more than just an artist."  
Clary blushed while Kaelie wrinkled her nose.  
"Jeez, Simon - cool it. I didn't mean that as an insult."  
Simon scoffed at that, earning himself a glare from Kaelie's boyfriend, who had strategically placed himself across the aisle from them.  
"I'm sorry about that." Clary whispered, feeling a little annoyed and a little pleased at what Simon had said.  
"Don't worry." Kaelie's killer grin was back in place. "He's just bitter, cause you are gonna have _so_ much fun tonight. I mean it."  
"Thanks." Clary mumbled, feeling her face flame up.  
She didn't catch the smirk Kaelie gave Izzy, or Alec's mutterings in Jace's ear.  
But Simon did.  
Simon knew.

"Is this too dressy?"  
Simon, perched on Clary's bed, stared at Clary.  
"Too dressy? Are you _mad_? That's fricking gorgeous."  
Clary flushed. The navy blue dress she had on was a hand-me-down from her mother, and, although it was clearly a party dress, it was fancier than Clary would have liked.  
"Well...thanks."  
There was an awkward silence, accentuated by Simon's blush as he realised he'd never been in a girl's room before. Plus, it was heightened by the fact he'd only known Clary for a day and a couple of hours.  
"You're not coming?" Clary broke the silence, a nervous look on her face.  
"No." Simon shook his head. "I wasn't invited."  
"Oh." Clary smoothed out a crease on the skirt of her dress. "I'm sure Kaelie invited you. You probably didn't notice - you hate her." She sounded accusing.  
"No," Simon repeated, "I don't trust her, and I don't understand why you do."

"Clary!" Kaelie enveloped her in a warm hug that smelt of expensive perfume and cranberry juice. "So nice to finally have you over!"  
"Yeah." Clary mumbled, a little taken in with Kaelie's flowing purple maxi-dress.  
"Come on in - don't be a stranger. Drinks are on the table over there. Have fun."  
The party was in Kaelie's garden and it was safe to say that, although it was by far the biggest garden Clary'd ever seen, it was jam-packed with people. They flocked around the long table that was tended to by several bartenders, they twisted and turned in time to the music so close to the pool it was a mystery none of them fell in.  
"Hey."  
A tall, silver-blond boy eyed Clary, a glass of punch in his hand.  
"Can I get you a drink, cutie?"  
Clary flushed - not used to being hit on. "Er, okay?"  
"Perfect."  
Blondie slid an arm around Clary's waist - pulling her over to the drinks table.

"What's Sebastian doing with the redhead?" Jace asked, his face leaving Kaelie's neck, where it had previously been buried.  
"Who cares?" Kaelie huffed. "I only invited her over because he thought she looked like a good one to score."  
"To score?" Jace's eyebrows went up.  
Kaelie rolled her eyes, getting off her boyfriend's lap. "To have sex with. You _know_ what Seb's like. It's so hard to keep him happy. And you know I like keeping my friends _happy_." She flashed him a dirty grin.  
"She's not like the others, though."  
"She's a gullible little twit." Kaelie stated. "Why did you think I invited her here in the first place? _Obviously _so I can let Seb have his way with her, so he won't tell my _moron_ of a father that you and I are back together."  
Jace frowned. "But why _her_? She's not slutty like the other girls you hooked Seb up with."  
Kaelie glared at her boyfriend. "What's it to you, Jace? You've never minded before." She regarded him with one beady blue eye. "If you really wanna know, I got her because she's such a simpleton she wouldn't even _try_ to fight back. Or complain."  
Jace chuckled, earning him another glare from Kaelie. "I doubt that, baby. That one's got some surprises packed in there."

"I don't."  
"You what?" Sebastian leered drunkenly at Clary.  
"I said, I _don't _want to sleep with you." She backed away from him. "So I guess I'll-"  
"Not so fast." Sebastian's arm shot out and grabbed Clary's. For a drunkard, he had an iron grip.  
"Let me go!" Clary was starting to panic.  
"Don't act so hard to get." Sebastian sneered. "I can see through all that shit."  
He started dragging her across the garden - towards Kaelie's house, while Clary screamed for all she was worth.  
"You don't want to do this." Clary pleaded, as she was flung into the hallway of the house.  
"You bet I do." Sebastian chuckled drunkenly. "I got a thing for redheads."  
His laugh made something in Clary snap. Was she really going to let herself be raped by some drunken dumbass?  
No. She was _not_.  
Sucking in a deep breath, Clary kicked Sebastian between the legs as hard as she could.  
Bellowing like a furious bull, he fell to the floor with all the grace of an elephant on a skateboard.  
Her heart beating a mile a minute, Clary ran for it.

"Yes, that's what I _said_." Simon said, annoyed. "Clary Fray. Is she here?"  
Isabelle Lightwood gave him a once-over. "What's it to you if she is?"  
"She's my friend, you stuck-up barbie doll!" Simon snapped, loosing patience with the pretty girl in front of him. He had a bad feeling about Kaelie's party, and the fact that he couldn't see a hint of red hair in the throng of party-goers only added to this.  
Isabelle pursed her lips. "The next time you call me that, I'll deck you." She certainly looked as if she could.  
"I don't give a damn." Simon glared. "And if you don't tell me where my friend is _right now_, I'll sneak into your house and pour bleach into your shampoo."  
Isabelle's mouth twitched - this guy had guts. Most guys didn't dare look at her the wrong way, let alone threaten her.  
"Okay, Steven, or whatever your name is. I'll tell you. Your little friend is with Sebastian, and, if my guess is right, they're having a _lot_ of fun right now."  
Simon's face paled, and he shoved Isabelle aside as he charged into the writhing mass of dancing bodies.  
"What was that about?" Alec asked, walking up to his sister.  
"That was the redhead's friend. Though, I'd take a guess and say he'd like to be more than friends with her."  
"Really? There's absolutely nothing interesting about her."  
"Oh, I doubt that."

"What the _hell_ did you do that for?"  
Sebastian slammed Clary against the wall so hard she was surprised her back didn't break.  
"I said, what the hell did you do that for?"  
"Because you're a greasy asshole."  
For that insult, Sebastian hit her across the face.  
This time it was Clary's turn to hit the floor - face-first. However, in doing so, she got the opportunity to whip off one of her heels.  
When Sebastian came for her again, she struck him over the head with her wedgie.  
He slumped forwards and lay unmoving on the floor.  
Clary sighed in relief. That was much more excitement than she'd ever imagined could happen at a party, and she didn't particularly like it.  
"Clary!" Simon burst into the hallway - worry written all over his face. He stared at the comatose Sebastian. "What happened? Did he-?"  
"He tried to. But I didn't let him." Clary held up her wedge heel.  
Simon's mouth formed a small "o" of surprise.  
"Can you take me home?" Clary felt weary and she suspected her lip was bleeding, because she tasted blood in her mouth. "You _did_ drive over here, didn't you?"  
"Yeah." Simon put his arm around her.  
"Sebastian? Sebastian, are you..." Jace trailed off - staring, first at Sebastian's prone form, then at Simon and Clary. He noted Simon's arm around Clary, and his mouth thinned a bit.  
"Oh." He looked Simon in the eye. "I don't recall seeing Kaelie invite you. Gatecrashing isn't cool, man."  
"I came to get my friend. Your _Neanderthal _of a bud here tried to rape her." Simon pointed at Sebastian.  
Jace smirked, seeing the shoe in Clary's hand. "Looks like she took care of that problem alright."  
"She's bleeding, you jerk!" Simon snapped.  
That wiped the smirk off Jace's face. He glanced at Clary's face with a fevered intensity - as if he was expecting to see a gaping wound.  
"It's only my lip." Clary mumbled, feeling self-conscious.  
Jace's eyes never left her face as he guided her to the bathroom so she could wash the blood off her face.

"What happened?"  
Kaelie looked horrified as she helped Sebastian up.  
"Easy?"  
"What?"  
"You said she was _easy_." Sebastian growled. "This bruise on my head begs to differ."  
Kaelie stated at it, her mouth half open. "She did that?"  
Sebastian glared in response. "I need a drink. And _you_," He eyed Kaelie, "need to think of a new way to buy my silence."  
Kaelie stepped away from him, a nasty expression on her face. "No, _we_ need to teach that little fireball some manners."  
Sebastian's face broke into a grin. "Now that sounds like a good plan."

So that's that until the next chapter. Sorry if this is crap - I've had exams.

PS reviews really help.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jace asked, for the third time that night.

"She'd be a lot better if your mentally-retarded friend hadn't tried to rape her." Simon snapped.  
Jace gave him a deadly glare, before turning his attention back to Clary. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you at home or something? My car's right here."  
"She's coming with me." Simon interjected, an annoyed expression on his face.  
Jace ignored him. "I could get you some juice to drink - that's about all that's left now."  
Clary shook her head. "No, I guess I'll just go home." She gave him a weary smile. "That was a bit more excitement than I was used to."  
"Yeah." Simon's arm slunk around her again. "So, if you've got nothing more to say, Herondale, I'm taking her home."  
Jace stepped back, his hands up in mock-surrender. "Hey, I'm only trying to help. There's no need to paint me out as the bad guy."  
"Yeah, right." Simon scoffed, leading Clary out.  
When they'd reached the garden, and Jace was out of earshot, Clary grabbed Simon's sleeve and said, "What was that about, in there?"  
He sighed. "The guy's an asshole, Clary. He and that trashy girlfriend of his planned the whole thing. That's why they invited you."  
Clary let go of his sleeve as if she'd been burnt. "So, let me get this straight. You're saying that the only reason I'm at this party is because I'm some - some gullible bimbo? Is that what you're saying?"  
"No!" Simon suddenly looked very worried. "I'm just saying that they played a trick on you. A really shitty trick."  
"Oh, yeah." Clary felt a surge of indignation. "Because I'm naive, isn't it? Because I can be taken in so easily."  
"That's not what I'm saying!" Simon flushed.  
"Well, it jolly well sounds like it!"  
"God, Clary!" Simon gripped her hands and kissed her roughly on the mouth.  
As soon as he let go, (which was pretty soon), Clary stumbled back, stunned.  
"What was that for?"  
"How can you not know?" Simon's glasses were on the verge of falling off his face. "I've liked you since the moment I saw you getting out of the car and saying goodbye to your mom. It was...sweet." He finished lamely.  
Clary stared at him. "I'm sorry, Simon, but I like you...as a friend. We only met yesterday, you know."  
Simon frowned down at her. "You say that, but I see you giving Jace goo-goo eyes all the time! You wouldn't say that to him, if he asked you out."  
"I do _not_ give that blond twit goo-goo eyes!" Clary snapped. "And you didn't ask me out, you just kissed me - _without _my permission, I might add."  
"Jace wouldn't need your permission." Simon shot back, before turning and disappearing into the crowd.  
Clary stared after him, her annoyance mingled with the acknowledgement of the fact that, if Simon hated her now, she'd have no real friends.

"There she is." Kaelie pointed, in frustration. "For God's sake, what did you have to get so bloody drunk for, Seb? Can you even _see_ in a fricking straight line?"  
"Obviously." Sebastian shot her his death-glare, which was, sadly, a few feet too wide to be effective.  
"It's not obvious to most of us." Kaelie muttered, under her breath. "Now, get going. The next time you lose her, it _won't _be my fault."  
Sebastian squinted in her direction. "You're lucky you've got Herondale as your boyfriend, or I'd have punched you in that great big mouth of yours a long time ago."  
Kaelie matched his glare with one of her own as she shoved him in Clary's direction.

"So Sebby didn't get her?" Isabelle popped a strawberry into her mouth. "That's strange - for him."  
"True." Alec nodded. "Did she really knee him in the groin, Jace? Or did you make that up? Cause that's pretty badass."  
"_She's _pretty badass." Jace commented. "I haven't seen many girls who've resisted Seb's amorous advances, if you know what I mean." He allowed himself a little smile. "And she's pretty. Seb's always had a thing for redheads, so I'm surprised he let her slip away."  
Isabelle raised her eyebrows. "You better not let Kaelie hear you talking like that - she'd flip."  
Alec laughed at Jace's expression. "Speaking of your _wonderful_ girlfriend, Jace, where is she exactly? Setting out to destroy another relationship because the couple were making out too openly? Suing the caterer because a little bit of icing tasted a little different? Where is the Queen of Mean?"  
Jace laughed, swatting his best friend. "Oh, come on, Alec - that only happened once. And it _was_ a noticeable difference."  
"That was for a New Year's Eve party." Isabelle scoffed. "Everyone was too drunk to notice."  
"_She_ certainly didn't think so."  
"Ssh." Jace poked his friends. "Here she comes."  
Kaelie arrived like an over-perfumed, over-made-up, purple thundercloud.  
"Honestly!" She exclaimed, sitting down. "Did you hear what that little shit just did? As if I don't have enough problems already!" She glared down at her manicure. "Some idiot puked in the pool - my dad's _not_ going to be happy. The last thing I need is for him to ground me again. Dammit!" She grabbed a plastic cup off the table and threw it.  
"I know." Jace said, consolingly. "But why don't you just tell your dad about us? Then you wouldn't have to arrange all these little events to keep Seb happy so he won't tell your dad."  
Kaelie raised her glare from her manicure to Jace's face. "What's it to you, Jace? You don't have a dad like mine - constantly breathing fire down your neck. My dad won't give me anything - _anything_, if he knows we're back together."  
"But this is absolutely ridiculous!" Jace snapped. "You can't keep organising parties and inviting some poor girl for Seb to score. That's basically rape. _And_ it can be traced back to you, if someone decides to sue."  
Kaelie spun around in her chair. "You've never had a problem with this before. Why is it suddenly so wrong to you?" Her blue eyes met Jace's gold ones for a few seconds, before clouding over. "You like her, don't you?"  
"Kaelie-"  
"You do, don't you?" Kaelie's voice was shrill. "Don't lie to me, Jace!"  
Isabelle and Alec glanced at each other and made a hasty retreat.  
"Kaelie, I've only just met the girl! I think she's sweet, that's all."  
"Sweet?" Kaelie looked as if she'd been slapped. "Sweet? Since when does _Jace Herondale _go for girls that are _sweet_?"  
"Stop overreacting!" Jace snapped. "If I wanted her, I'd be with her, instead of with you. But I'm with you, aren't I?"  
"Are you?" Kaelie's blue eyes were unrelenting.  
Jace's temper got the better of him and he stood up. "I'm going for a little walk, and I don't expect to be followed."  
Kaelie glared. "Who'd waste their time following you? You're as impractical as you are fickle, Jace Herondale."  
"I think I'm very practical. Unlike _some_ people."  
Kaelie flushed under the insult. "Godammit - just _go_, Jace."

Clary sat under one of the trees fringing the garden. Her indignation had died down, and she felt more embarrassed than anything else at what Simon had said.  
A couple, passionately making out, stumbled into a clump of bushes a couple of feet away.  
In a way, Clary was sorry for turning Simon down. What other chance had she to actually get a boyfriend? Unless she encouraged the interest of wierdos like Sebastian Verlac. No - she wouldn't stoop to that.  
She saw the Lightwoods heading towards the house, having a very animated discussion. Jace wasn't with them, and that made Clary wonder where he was.  
Was he with Kaelie, doing all kinds of..._couple-y things_?  
And, speaking of Kaelie, was she as bad as Simon had made her out to be? She hardly struck Clary as a wicked witch, but appearances could always be deceptive.  
She couldn't be all bad, though. Not if Jace was dating her. He seemed like a nice enough guy, and nice guys don't go for wicked witches.  
The couple in the bushes had gotten very noisy, and Clary sincerely hoped they were both fully clothed.  
That hope was trashed as loud moans emitted out of the bushes, along with several sighs. It was time to leave.  
Catching a cab in Kaelie's side of town proved impossible. Clary deduced that cab-drivers in the area were under the assumption that the rich travelled everywhere in their fancy-pants cars. They were probably right.  
"Don't bother - there haven't been any cabs here for years."  
Jace slunk out of Kaelie's house with a smile, his hands in his pockets. "My offer still stands, you know."  
"Your...offer?" Clary hated sounding dense.  
"Yeah, I could drive you home, if you want."  
Clary flushed. He was Kaelie's boyfriend, so why was he offering to drive Clary home?  
"I'm only trying to be nice." He added, hastily, noting her expression. "I'm not going to...do what Sebastian tried to do. I've seen what you did to him, so I wouldn't dare try." He went for lightness, hoping to make her smile. There was something in her smile, something that intrigued him very much. It wasn't a pretty smile like Kaelie's, but it was a whole lot more natural.  
"Don't you have to stay till the party's over?" Clary asked. At his vacant expression, she elaborated, "Being the boyfriend and all, you know."  
Jace shrugged. "I don't feel like 'the boyfriend' most of the time. It's 'do this Jace' and 'do that Jace'. Sometimes it doesn't even feel like it's worth it." He was taking a gamble - telling all this to Clary. If Kaelie found out, there would be hell to pay.  
"Why don't you tell her how you feel?" Clary was sympathetic enough, even though she was beginning to rethink her original impression of Kaelie.  
"It's complicated." Jace's tone suggested that he wasn't going to reveal any more, and Clary knew not to push him.  
"Clary?" Sebastian stumbled out of the house, squinting at Clary. "I _thought _I saw you come this way." Clutched in his hand was one of the glasses of vodka and cranberry juice that were displayed inside for guests to consume. Clary wondered how he could see straight, let alone stand, after drinking so much.  
"Leave me alone!" She cried, in his direction, partially annoyed and partially fearful of his unwanted attention.  
"Lord knows I wish I could." Sebastian laughed, his words slurred.  
"Sebastian - you're drunk."  
Clary'd almost forgotten that Jace was there, after Sebastian's reappearance.  
Sebastian stared owlishly at Jace. "_You're _scoring her, dude? Don't be needy - Kaelie got her here for me!"  
"I am a _person_!" Clary snapped. "Not some object you can 'score' on. Go play some fricking monopoly, if you want to score."  
"She's right, Seb." Jace put himself between Clary and his friend. "Leave her alone. Aline's looking for you - go find her."  
Sebastian stared at them, swaying slightly. "Whatever, _Jace_." He spat. "But I hope you know I'll tell Kaelie about _this_." He gestured drunkenly towards Clary. "And she's gonna be bloody pissed at you."  
He staggered inside, casting dirty glances in their general direction - too drunk to focus.  
"I'm sorry about that." Jace sounded sincere. "He wasn't always like this."  
"Yeah." Clary didn't particularly want to know. "I'd love it if you could take me home now."  
"Sure - my car's that way."  
They walked down the street, oblivious to the two pairs of eyes staring intently at their retreating backs.  
"What do you think's up with those two?" Isabelle asked her brother.  
Alec shrugged. "I don't know - but they'd better cool it, whatever it is, before Kaelie finds out."  
"Oh, I think things would get interesting if she _did_ find out." Isabelle smirked.  
Her brother gave her a worried glance. "Isabelle - no."  
"Oh, come on."  
"No."


	4. Chapter 4

It was late - almost thirty minutes into the first lesson - when Clary got to class.  
Simon didn't even look at her when she slid into her seat, but Jace flashed her a tiny half-smile.  
"Nice of you to finally join us, Ms. Fray." Mr. Starkweather looked extremely disapproving. "Why don't you come right up to the front so I can show you what the rest of the class is working on." He indicated a seat just in front of Kaelie, who immediately looked as if he'd suggested she eat a dead dog.  
Clary imagined her look was much the same, as she slowly made her way to her new seat.  
"This is _A Midsummer Night's Dream_, Clary. We've been reading the first Act, and I expect a six-page summary on it by the end of the second period." He cast her another disapproving glance. "Most are almost halfway through with it, so you'll have to work extra hard."  
"Yeah." Clary tried not to sound like he'd just given her a death sentence, and failed. It was just too much to handle after a sleepless night.  
"Hey, you little two-faced rat." Kaelie kicked the underside of Clary's chair.  
"What's your _problem_?" Clary snapped.  
"You're my problem." Kaelie replied nastily. "So you better watch your back."  
"I...what?"  
"Ms. Fray!" If Mr. Starkweather had looked disapproving before, he looked downright annoyed now. "What is it about _'get on with your work right now_' that you don't understand? Is it my tone? Should I give you afternoon detention? Is it..."  
He rambled on, and Clary had to fight the urge to slap him with her literature book. Why did teachers _never_ get what was going on in their classes, but always thought they did? Must be _psychotic teacher syndrome_.

"Simon, I said I was sorry. What more do you want me to say?"  
Simon glared down at Clary as they headed off to their next class. "Maybe you could try saying sorry and actually meaning it. Or, you could at least be honest and tell me what's going on with that Herondale fellow."  
Clary flushed. "There's _nothing_ going on with me and Jace."  
"Good." Simon shrugged. "Keep lying to yourself. It'll do you a world of good, I'm sure."  
Clary slapped Simon across the face. "_God_, Simon, why do you have to be a bitchy little _girl_ sometimes?"  
He clutched his face, looking stunned. "Did you just hit me? Why did you hit me?"  
"Because you're acting like an idiot!"  
"You're lying to yourself, and we both know which is worse."  
"Trouble in paradise?" Jace grinned boyishly at the pair.  
Simon glared. "Piss off, blondie."  
A couple of students passing by stared at Simon with newfound respect. It goes without saying that people didn't give the popular kids attitude in public.  
"Ooh, nasty." Jace's eyebrows rose. "Somebody's got some sauce."  
"Shut up." Simon snapped, flouncing off.  
"Damn." Jace shook his head at the other boy's retreating figure. "Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you were okay. Are you?" His strangely golden eyes studied Clary's face.  
She blushed under his gaze. "Yes - thanks again for driving me home."  
He smiled. "Don't mention it. So," He stared at his sneakers, "Would you-"  
"Jace!"  
Kaelie, standing across the hallway from them, glared, her hands on her hips. "We have _class_ now, Jace. So get your ass over here."  
Jace sighed. "Bye Clary." He muttered, as he strolled across the hallway to his girlfriend.  
Kaelie flung her arms around him and kissed him possessively in front of numerous other students.  
Clary got the message and pushed off.

"Why are you hanging out with that little bitch?" Kaelie flung her books on the table and faced Jace with her hands on her hips. She looked like a very, very angry poodle.  
"We're just friends, Kaelie." Jace stated, his voice flat. "Friends hang out. You don't have a problem with me hanging out with Isabelle."  
"Isabelle's practically your _sister_."  
Jace sighed, walking over to his desk.  
"Did you just walk _away_ from me?" Kaelie sounded incredulous.  
"Yes, I did." Jace took his books out of his backpack. "Mostly because I've got nothing else to say to you, but also because I don't like this new personality of yours, to be honest."  
Kaelie's mouth flapped up and down like a goldfish's. "What?"  
"Oh, you heard me." Jace sat down, scribbling away at a bit of unfinished homework. "You've always been a bit mean, but now you're just cold, and, quite frankly, I don't know who you are anymore."  
"Jace!" Kaelie had a glare to match Godzilla's on her face. "You take that back!"  
"No - you need to hear these things." Jace went on. "Because I think we need to take a bit of time off from - from...well, _this_." He gestured at himself and Kaelie.  
"You mean break up?" She squeaked.  
"Yeah." Jace shrugged. "Cause this clearly isn't working."  
Kaelie's mouth thinned considerably. "And if I disagree? What then?"  
"_I'll _break up with you." He responded mock-cheerfully.  
A crash at the other end of the class saved Kaelie from making a very embarrassing reply.  
Isabelle and Alec stood pressed up against the wall, looking very nervous. In Alec's hand was the book he'd dropped.  
"We didn't mean to eavesdrop." Isabelle began, hastily. "But we were here and - and you guys sorta came in..." She trailed off under Kaelie's withering glare.

They were expected to play badminton for PE, and Clary was in trouble. Simon was no where in sight and there was absolutely no one to partner up with.  
A glimpse of Sebastian Verlac in the group of her classmates, looking dazed and confused (and, no doubt hungover), proved to Clary that, sometimes, one might benefit more from school if one bunked class.  
The only disadvantage of this great plan was the fact that there was no where to go. Teachers prowled around in the classrooms, couples made love furiously in the bathrooms, librarians droned on incessantly in the library - it was a living, breathing hell for class bunkers.  
Finally, the best option for Clary ended up being wandering around with a book in her hand (the book making it look as if she was headed off to a class).  
It was on her third journey past the music room that she collided with something warm.  
"Clary?" Jace stared down at her. "Why aren't you in class?"  
She shrugged. "I have PE, and Simon's disappeared so there's no one to partner with." Realizing how whiny this sounded, she quickly added, "Plus there's Sebastian in my class."  
Jace laughed. "You needn't worry - the morning after a good booze he can hardly stand, let alone try doing anything to you."  
Clary frowned. "I'd rather not take any chances."  
He laughed again. "I've never seen him so dead-set on getting a girl before. He's really hung-up on you."  
"Thanks, but no thanks." Clary wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I mean, yeah, he's good looking and stuff, but he's really creepy."  
"Hmm." Jace replied, his eyes on the floor. "Hey, you wanna get out of here?"  
"What?"  
"Like bunk school. Hang out at a coffee shop or something." Jace shrugged. "Don't worry - the school's pretty useless at catching people who bunk school."  
Clary smiled for a minute, before it was washed off her face. "What about Kaelie? She'll be mad, even though we aren't..."  
Jace frowned. "She and I aren't a couple anymore. We...had a fight."  
"Oh." Clary tried to think of something sympathetic and failed. _Well, you can do better than her, anyway._  
"So, coffee?"  
"Coffee."

Sorry for the short chapter! The story gets going in the next chapter, I promise!


	5. Chapter 5

"You've got foam on your nose." Jace commented. "Again."  
Clary blushed. The foam in her cappuccino simply refused to stop adhering to the tip of her nose.  
"Here, let me get it." Jace wiped her nose with his napkin, smiling a bit as he did so. "There - all gone."  
"Thanks." Clary mumbled, feeling a bit silly. "I don't know why it keeps on happening."  
Jace's smile widened. "I think it's cute."  
Her resulting blush was immeasurably huge - so she attempted to hide it by taking another sip of coffee, only to be rewarded with more foam on her nose.  
"Oh crap."  
"That's so cute." Jace laughed.  
And he kissed her. He actually _kissed _her.  
It was better than Clary'd expected - warm and sincere, and Jace's lips were soft and they tasted of coffee, and hazelnut flavouring from the coffee, and...and...there was far too much to describe.  
"Jace..." Clary murmured, as they parted. "Jace - what was that?" She liked Jace well enough - okay, more than _well enough_, but he was popular and she didn't want to end up being another statistic on his relationship chart.  
"A kiss." Jace genuinely sounded surprised. "Wait - you didn't want me to kiss you? But-"  
"I did!" Clary burst out, her face flaming. "Though, I _do_ want to know why. Why did you kiss me? A day ago you were very much into Kaelie. Not to sound insulting." She added hastily. "I just want to know."  
Jace sighed, his gaze dropping to his cup of coffee. "It's complicated."  
"I can handle complicated."  
He gave her a wonky half-smile. "I can't even call it complicated. It's...weird. I was so, umm, as you say, into Kaelie. Now she's...not the same." He finished lamely.  
"You realized what a bitch she could be?" Clary didn't have a lot of sympathy where Kaelie was concerned.  
Jace shrugged. "You could say that. After that, uh, _incident_ with Sebastian that Kaelie'd planned, I just...well, I couldn't take it. I couldn't take it." He repeated, his gaze on Clary's face. "I can't believe how blind I've been for so long. Kaelie doesn't love - she does _know_ how to love. She just possesses. And I can't be in a relationship with someone like that."  
Clary studied his face for a minute or two before taking a sip of her coffee. Something in his face told her that he was telling the truth.  
"What about your adoptive siblings?"  
"You mean Alec and Izzy?" He gave her a dry smile. "They don't give a shit about Kaelie - but they make an effort to be on good terms with her so that they get invited to her parties."  
"That sounds awfully shallow." Clary had a fair bit of resentment towards the Lightwoods for being on Kaelie's side, even if only for material gain.  
"No." Jace's voice was rather stern. "I'm not saying that that isn't shallow - I'm suggesting that you reserve judgement. You don't know Alec and Izzy. They wouldn't stand by and let something like that happen."  
The resentment in Clary's chest doubled. "News flash, Jace, they did. They knew what she was going to do."  
Jace's face suddenly became very closed-off. "You don't know them, Clary, you think you do."  
The resentment turned into active annoyance.  
"I think I'd remember it if a group of people were planning on how to get me raped!"  
Jace stood up, his eyes blazing. "You're wrong, Clary."  
"I doubt it."  
"Good for you." Jace drew out two five dollar bills from his wallet and flung them on the table. "I'm afraid I have somewhere else to be."  
Then he left - just like that - leaving a startled Clary clutching her coffee cup as if it were a buoy, and the coffee shop an ocean.

"Where the _hell_ is Jace?"  
Kaelie's face was hovering in front of Isabelle's like an angry blonde stormcloud.  
"How would I know?" Isabelle felt the need to get cocky when addressing Kaelie - especially after witnessing her less-than-graceful split from Jace. "Do I look like his mother to you?"  
Kaelie's mouth thinned, and her blue eyes widened dangerously. "Don't you get sassy with me Isabelle Lightwood - or I'll get Sebastian to hang your knickers on the flagpole the next time we have assembly."  
Isabelle laughed. "Please do. It's not like people don't know what kind of undies I like. I'm practically a walking slogan for Victoria's Secret." She gestured around her, causing her heady perfume to waft Kaelie's way.  
Kaelie flinched. "You just wait. In a few days' time you _won't _be the one laughing, _Isabelle_ Lightwood." With that, she flounced off.  
"What a drama queen." Izzy scoffed.  
Alec nodded in assent. "She didn't say anything to me - she didn't even notice I was here the whole time. And," He continued, lips curving into a smile, "_I_ know where Jace has been."  
"What?" Isabelle's brows rose. "How?"  
Her brother pointed at his phone. "Jace texted me. He and the redhead bunked school. Went off to that little café Kaelie used to work at. Apparently they've had some sort of fight." He sounded slightly wary.  
"Damn." Isabelle grinned. "I hope we get Jace back in one piece. That little redhead is a bit of a firecracker. You should've seen Sebastian this morning. Didn't even look her way."  
"Wow." Alec sounded slightly sarcastic. "Do you think he's given up on his silly obsession with her yet?"  
His sister shrugged. "Only time will tell, I guess."

Simon was in the music room, strumming at a guitar in a depressed fashion.  
_He'd_ seen Clary first. _He'd_ made friends with her. _He'd_ warned her about Kaelie. What right had Jace to swoop in and make her fall in love with him? Of course, she'd never admitted it, but it was written all over her face, like a poster with "You Suck, Simon" printed on it.  
It was all so unfair. Jace could have his pick of practically every other girl in the school. Why Clary? They were so different - they were practically polar opposites. They didn't even have the same friends.  
"Are you supposed to be here, young man?" Mr. Starkweather poked his head into the room. "I'm pretty sure you don't have music now."  
"Er...yeah." Simon set the guitar down and stood up. "I forgot."  
"How convenient." Mr. Starkweather replied, drily. "What about your little friend? Ms. Fray? I expected her to be with you."  
"Clary's not in class?" He was confused - Clary didn't seem like the class-bunking type.  
"Apparently not." Mr. Starkweather's brows rose sarcastically. "According to the PE and chemistry teachers, neither Ms. Fray nor Mr. Herondale were in their respective classes. What would you know about that?"  
Simon felt his face flush. So, it was like that, was it? Clary_ had _lied to him.  
"Mr. Lewis?" His teacher figuratively prodded him with a fair bit of impatience.  
"They're together." Simon blurted out. "As in, they're a couple. They probably bunked class."  
Mr. Starkweather's brows had almost reached his hairline. "Well, that _is_ interesting. Are you quite sure that this is the case?"  
Simon's heart thudded in his chest. Was he really going to sell Clary out? Who knows what kind of trouble she'd get into? But there'd be _Jace_ with her.  
"Yes." Simon nodded furiously. "Yes, I'm very sure."  
Mr. Starkweather gave him a small, dry smile. "Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Why don't you hurry off to your class now?"  
Simon didn't need to be told twice.

"You're home early." Jocelyn looked surprised, as she pulled a dish of lasagne out of the oven.  
"Yeah." Clary kicked her sneakers off.  
"Oh - Clary, can you come here for a minute?"  
Clary sighed. Couldn't her mother see that she wanted to be alone?  
"Can you fetch a new tablecloth from that cupboard there? Yes, that one." Jocelyn nodded towards the blue tablecloth with pastel swirls that Clary was holding up. "Why Luke never changes these I don't know! You should've seen all the stains on the old one! That man-"  
"Mom." Clary gritted her teeth. "It's just a _tablecloth_."  
Jocelyn stared at her daughter. "Did something happen today? You look out of sorts. And where's Simon? Don't you two hang out after school?"  
"Yeah." Clary suddenly found the floor very interesting. "You know, I'm not very hungry. I think I'll eat later."  
Her mother gave her a puzzled glance as she charged upstairs.

**So that's it for this chapter! Sorry it's so short, I've been practically baking all week (Holy Week...etc, etc). Comments are super appreciated! :)**  
**And****_ yes_****, there will be a better Jace-Kaelie break-up scene soon.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Such a boring intro - but please read on! I've had a hard enough day as it is... **  
**Please excuse the bitchy Clary and demented Kaelie - I had to find some ideas! :-/**

"Luke - I think there's something wrong with Clary." Jocelyn said, in a worried tone.  
"What?" Luke frowned over his lasagne. "Why?"  
Jocelyn bit her bottom lip nervously. "When she came home, she looked...wrong. Stressed out."  
Her husband raised his brows. "She's a teenager, Jocelyn. Maybe she has a boyfriend."  
Jocelyn stared at her husband for a few minutes before bursting out into hysterical laughter. "A boyfriend? My Clary? Don't be silly, Luke!"  
Luke opened his mouth to reply - but the phone rang, cutting him off.  
"Hello?" Jocelyn answered it. "Yes, yes - this is Clary's mother." The confusion was easily read on her face.  
"What?" She was twisting the phone-cord around her index finger - something she only did when she was worried. "What do you mean? No. No, that can't be. Well - oh, come on! What do you mean, I don't know my daughter as well as I think I do? What?" Her index finger released the phone-cord. "Suspended? That can't be...oh, I don't know. Okay, okay. _Goodbye_."  
Luke toyed with his spoon, noting Jocelyn's frown and suddenly incredibly thin mouth. "Who was that?"  
"Clary's principal."  
"Okay - why did Clary's principal call you?"  
Jocelyn stared at his spoon. "To tell me she's suspended my daughter." At Luke's shocked glance, she continued, "For bunking school with her boyfriend."  
"Well." Luke coughed nervously into his hand. "Well, I hate to say I told you so, but-"  
"Luke!" Jocelyn flashed her husband a glare.  
"She's a _teenager_, okay? A teenager. Not a little kid anymore. Teenagers do this sort of-"  
"I don't expect her to act like a _vagrant_." Jocelyn snapped. "And I can't understand how she could've landed a boyfriend so quickly. Unless she's been keeping this from me for months." She added, bitterly.  
"No, Jocelyn, no." Luke walked over to put an arm round her. "Clary's not like that. She's always been a good girl. She must've met this boy at that party. She-"  
"That party!" Jocelyn spat. "I _knew_ it was a mistake to let her go."  
"You didn't think so at the time." Luke replied, rather drily. "Honey, you've _got_ to give her a bit more freedom. If you try and stop her, she's only going to fight twice as hard to go off with this boy. It's her first relationship, after all." He added. "It'll fizzle out in no time."

Clary stared down at her phone.  
_**Clary - I gotta talk 2 u. 2 apologize. Pls say u'll meet me!**_  
_**Simon**_  
She chucked her phone under her bed. Her head was still ringing from Jace's absolute refusal to agree with anything she'd said, so she couldn't possibly take a conversation with Simon, even if he _did_ want to apologize.  
Now Jace...if he'd texted to apologize that would've been a different matter.  
Clary could hear Luke and Jocelyn arguing loudly downstairs, and, after hearing her name mentioned several times, she decided to investigate.  
"No, it _won't_!" Jocelyn stamped her foot. "Don't be silly, Luke. You know what Clary's like!"  
"What?" Clary stepped into the kitchen, and watched her mother's face turn from red to purple to white and then back again to red.  
"Clarissa Fray!" Jocelyn all but shrieked. "What the hell were you thinking? Do you take me for a fool? Do you have any idea-"  
"What your mother means to say," Luke tactfully stepped around Jocelyn, "But can't seem to phrase, is that we know where you were this afternoon." He gave her a knowing glance.  
Clary's mouth opened, and stayed open. "How?"  
"You got suspended, Clary!" Jocelyn looked upset. "_Suspended _\- thanks to your silly escapade."  
"What?" Clary couldn't help sounding a little moronic - to say she was confused was an understatement.  
"Sus-pen-ded." Jocelyn hit the table to emphasize each syllable. "You got suspended, Clary." She repeated. "What do you think I feel - as your mother? What do you feel, after you nearly give me a heartattack?"  
Some movement near the window made Clary's eyes drift away from her mother's erratic hand gestures.  
It was Simon. Standing outside. Waving his phone about like a loon. His lips kept forming the words "Kaelie" and "Jace".  
"I'm sorry - I've got to go."  
Clary ducked under her mother's outstretched hand and rushed out the door.

"Sebastian _saw_ you, you bastard!" Kaelie spat. "At that café - with that little bitch!"  
"She's not a bitch." Jace returned coolly. "You are. I've come to see that now."  
"How _dare_ you?" Kaelie cried.  
"I dare."  
Kaelie slapped him across his face, and was about to slap him again, when he reached out and grabbed her hand.  
"Don't make me hit a girl." Jace said, in an unnaturally soft voice.  
"Jace!" Kaelie furiously tried to yank her hand out of Jace's grasp. "Why are you so fu-"  
"Why can't you leave me the hell alone?"  
Kaelie gasped, and Jace released her hand, stepping away from her.  
"How can you _say_ that?" She sounded angry, but close to tears.  
Jace would've felt sorry for her, if he wasn't already so used to her manipulative nature.  
"I gave up _so much_ for you - you bastard!" Kaelie was losing it, and losing it fast. "So much. I always-"  
"I'd say I'm sorry, but this had to happen." Jace was ready to make a hasty exit before Kaelie went completely crazy. "I hope you understand why I say that. We've both changed, and that's that."  
A nasty look came over Kaelie's face, but the sound of the door being flung open interrupted her from saying anything too damaging.  
"What in the name of dog-shit is your problem?" Clary looked fairly mad herself, and Simon, standing behind, looked around in anticipation of a good show.  
"What sort of insult is that?" If Kaelie's tone wasn't cold enough, the expression on her face was cold enough to freeze a turkey.  
Clary ignored this fact. "Jace is over you. So why don't you get lost? This _is_ his garage, after all."  
Kaelie pursed her lips, and Jace stared at this new, possessive Clary.  
"Who do you think you are? I doubt Jace has even asked you to be his girlfriend." Kaelie let out a sudden laugh. "You aren't his type anyway."  
Clary flushed. "So? I don't bully him - unlike somebody else I could name."  
Kaelie's attention flipped back to Jace. "My, my - you've got a little bitch in the making, haven't you, Jace?"  
"Just leave, Kaelie." Jace wanted to avoid a scene. And it would _definitely_ end up being a scene if Kaelie went completely nuts. "There's your jacket - just take it and go."  
Kaelie's face went an ugly scarlet. "So that's it? You've found a new chick, and I'm chucked out like last week's trash?"  
"Kaelie - please." Jace's face had his nervousness written all over it.  
Kaelie flounced over to the tiny work-table in the corner of the garage.  
"I ought to set fire to your car, _Mr. _Herondale." Her voice was high-pitched and slightly maniacal.  
"Are you off your medication?" Jace motioned for Clary to leave, which Clary ignored. "You're not supposed to stop taking your meds, Kaelie."  
"Don't tell me what I'm supposed to do!" Kaelie all but shrieked, waving a hammer she'd picked up off the table. "You always act like you know _everything_! You always act like-"  
"Yes, Kaelie - I get that." Jace was inching towards her in the hopes of getting the hammer away from her before she did something she'd regret. "I totally do. We should've talked this over."  
"Shut up!" Kaelie shrieked, waving the hammer about like a madwoman. Which she probably was.  
And that was enough for Clary.  
"Kaelie!" The redhead marched over to the crazy hammer-wielding blonde. "Would you _stop_ being a drama queen for once in your life? So, it's over with Jace. Move the fuck on already!"  
"Clary!" Jace grabbed her just as Kaelie swung the hammer in her direction. "For God's sake - girls! Simon, do something! Don't stand there laughing your ass off."  
The mention of Simon's name caused Kaelie to lurch in his direction, and him to back away until he was practically a part of the wall.  
"Kaelie - put down the hammer." Jace held out his hand. "Give it to me. Please."  
It wasn't often that Jace Herondale said 'please', and Kaelie was well aware of that fact. This caused her to pause - as if unsure as how to proceed.  
In this brief period of indecision, Clary whipped around Jace, grabbed a broom that'd been leaning on the wall, and hit Kaelie directly in the forehead.  
She dropped to the ground without making a sound - almost eerily out of it.  
"Clary..." Jace sounded worried. "_What_ did you do?"  
"Did you give her a concussion?" Simon peered eagerly at Kaelie, sprawled out on the floor.  
"I didn't hit her _hard_." Clary protested. "She was going mad. And I panicked. And she deserved it." She added, under her breath.  
_"_Clary." Jace shook his head slowly. "_Now _what are we supposed to do?"

**Soo...cliffhanger. Don't hate me - next chapter coming up as soon as possible.**  
**Too much violence? Blame my friend Fabby (fabbydoodah) - she wanted the violence. :):)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ignore the last chapter - it was incredibly badly planned. :( Soz for that.**

"_And_," Jocelyn concluded, "You're grounded."  
"What?" Clary laughed. "I'm grounded for hitting a girl over the head in self-defence?"  
"You're lucky the Whitewillows aren't pressing charges." Jocelyn looked stern. "I honestly don't know what got into you."  
Clary shrugged. "It was an accident."  
"A mighty big accident to make." Luke put in, stashing the butter back in the fridge. "But, wasn't this Kaelie girl your friend? The one whose party you went to?"  
Clary developed an extreme interest in her sneakers.  
"Clary!" Jocelyn now looked almost horrified. "Wasn't it her party you went to? That's awful - you have to apologize!"  
_And that's asking for too much._ Clary thought. The last thing Kaelie wanted from her was an apology.  
"Yeah, maybe tomorrow?" Clary slouched out of the room. "Or maybe never?" She added under her breath.  
Being grounded couldn't be too bad, Clary assumed. As long as she had an internet connection she was still connected to civilization.  
Her phone beeped with an incoming text:  
_**Parents furious abt K. Wanna meet up 4 coffee? Again?**_  
_**Jace xx **_  
Ah...then she realized just how much being grounded sucked.  
Feeling like an utter loser, Clary replied to Jace's text:  
_**Sry - I can't! Got grounded by the p's. :(**_  
_**Clary.**_  
"Dammit." She muttered to herself. "It's not as if she _didn't _deserve it."  
Her phone beeped again, with an incredibly curious text from Jace:  
**_Hmm...sounds bad. :( Maybe I shud bring da coffee 2 u then? If ur grinning as u read this I'll take dat as a yes. ;)_**  
Clary grinned in spite of herself. The thought of Jace bringing her coffee (and cupcakes, perhaps?) seemed pretty tempting, but knowing her mother, impossible.  
Feeling even more pathetic, she replied:  
**_Grounded means grounded, Jace. U come in n my mom will kill u. Not kidding._**  
Chucking her phone under her coverlet, Clary got up to search for a book to read. Nerdy - but she had to find _some _way to pass her time without going completely mad.  
The sound of her phone beeping again sent her running back to her room like a rabid chihuahua.  
**_I'm on my way._**  
That was it. That was all.  
A rather confused Clary glanced out of her window as if she expected to see Jace walking by in the street below.  
She dreaded to think what might happen if her mother saw Jace anywhere in the house. Jocelyn had already been majorly pissed at Clary getting suspended, but the issue with Kaelie made her a completely different kind of pissed. The _'I'll kill you if you try anything like this again' _kind of pissed.

"Aren't you glad we don't have to be nice to Kaelie anymore?" Alec stretched out on the sofa, his eyes not leaving the baseball game on TV.  
"Yeah." Isabelle admitted. "But I guess I'll miss the parties."  
Her brother propped himself up on one elbow to stare at her. "Parties? Colossal wastes of time, you mean. Everyone always ends up drunk at her parties."  
Isabelle laughed. "Isn't that the point?"  
"I'll agree to disagree with you there, sis." Alec reached over to grab a handful of potato chips.  
"Hmm." Isabelle replied. "Where's Jace? He usually never misses the game."  
Alec frowned. "He mumbled something about going to see that Clary girl."  
"Clary Fray?" Isabelle looked doubtful. "But I thought she'd texted him to say she was grounded and didn't have permission to see her friends."  
"I doubt Jace counts as her _friend_." Alec replied sarcastically. "And when has Jace ever listened to an adult? Ever?"  
Isabelle swatted her brother. "Well, he'd tell us if they'd done it. So...innocent until proven guilty."  
"I doubt they'd ever get couple-y." Alec stated, with conviction. "She's a violent mess and _totally _not his type."  
Isabelle popped a few chips into her mouth. "Oh, I don't know about that. After Kaelie I expect his taste in girls has changed drastically."  
Her brother laughed. "What possessed Jace to date that psychotic attention-seeker in the first place?"  
Isabelle stared. "Are you gay or something? Or have you just not noticed she's got a body like Megan Fox?"  
Alec shrugged. "Doesn't have a personality like Megan Fox though."

Clary'd given up looking for Jace thirty minutes ago. She'd hung her head out of her window for fifteen minutes or so, before deciding he'd probably rethought his ideas of coming over.  
It gave her a sense of disappointment - even though she _knew _her mother would never have let him into the house.  
Something rattled on the floor beside the bed.  
Clary leaned over to investigate.  
Pebbles. There were tiny, grey pebbles on the floor of her bedroom.  
"How'd they-"  
"Clary!"  
_That sounds like Jace. _Clary thought. _But where is he c-_  
"Clary!"  
She spun around and rushed to the window - filled with an indescribably giddy feeling. Surely Jace couldn't be here?  
But there he was. Standing on the pavement, a bag with the Starbucks logo on it under his arm.  
"Jace!" Clary waved like a madwoman. "Don't even think of coming up - my mom'll kill you."  
"I like a challenge!" Jace shouted back cheerfully.  
"_Jace_!"  
But he was gone - he'd disappeared round the house.  
Clary braced herself for her mother's yells, and, after a couple of minutes had passed by without even a hint of a scream, she felt herself relax. Hopefully Jace had decided to wander off.  
A knock at her bedroom door made her groan.  
"How the hell did you get up here?"  
Jace grinned cheekily. "Easy. I snuck in while they were in the living room. Need I say they were discussing you?"  
Clary groaned again. "I've never seen Mom so mad before. It's practically World War III."  
"Poor you." Jace replied, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Sure makes you appreciate having a man like me to cheer you up, doesn't it?"  
That made her smile. "I guess so." She reached for the bag in his hand. "This isn't only coffee, is it?"  
"Nope." Jace's cheeky grin was back. "Why don't you see what else is in the bag?"  
"Cupcakes?" Clary's brows shot up. "You brought me cupcakes?" _How'd you know I was thinking about cupcakes?_  
"They're not _just _cupcakes." Jace replied, mistaking her tone. "They're chocolate cupcakes with pink, heart-shaped sprinkles." He pointed at them.  
Clary smiled. "Heart-shaped sprinkles?"  
Surprisingly, Jace blushed. "It was either that, or some horrible, bright-pink monstrosities with trashy lettering."  
Clary's smile widened. "What's the occasion, anyway?"  
It was Jace's turn to raise his brows. "Why? Can't I buy you stuff?"  
"You know what I mean."  
Jace sighed. "I wanted to cheer you up. You're grounded, remember? Plus, you freaked me out after you brained Kaelie - so I'm trying to get on your good side."  
"Fair enough." Clary shrugged, reaching for the bag again. "Now you better let me have a cupcake or demon-Clary will make another appearance and brain _you _this time."  
Jace laughed, looking across at Clary with a fond glance.

**Again - soz for the bad chapter last time! Hope the normality of this one makes up for it.**  
**Don't worry, Starbucks doesn't really have horrible pink cupcakes - you guys are safe.**


End file.
